Maduro lauds Iran, Russia, China, Cuba as true friends of Venezuela

"Humanitarian aid is coming from China, Russia, Iran and Cuba. They are [Venezuela’s] true friends," Maduro said in a speech broadcast by the state TV on Sunday, according to Tass.

He recalled that the US was offering $20 million worth of help, "but not a single dollar came through".

Last week Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he would visit Iran shortly to sign cooperation agreements in energy and other sectors.

“I am obliged to go to personally thank the people,” Maduro said in a state television address, without providing a date for the visit.

Iran has sent five tankers loaded with 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and alkylate to Venezuela to help jump-start the oil refineries in the Latin American state amid a fuel crisis.

Maduro in a message termed the shipment of Iranian fuel to Venezuela as a sign of Tehran-Caracas solidarity.